MY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF SUMMER 2017

Summer reading is officially in full swing on It’s Book Talk and I can’t wait to share with you some of the books that have come across my radar recently. I’ve been really looking forward to putting together this post because, in my opinion, this summer’s crop of books is the best I’ve seen in the last couple summers. Now comes the hard part…choosing my MOST anticipated reads. After much back and forth with myself I’ve decided the following books are the ones I’m super excited about and maybe you will be to…as always I’d love to hear from you in the comments if any of these are also on your summer tbr as well as others you think I should add! I literally can’t wait to sit on my patio or at the pool with a chilled glass of wine and dive into each one of these books! **this super cute summer reading photo is courtesy of Susie at Novel Visits**

JUNE

The Salt House by Lisa Duffy (June 13, Touchstone Books) In the tradition of Jodi Picoult and Lisa Genova, this gorgeously written, heartbreaking, yet hopeful debut set during a Maine summer traces the lives of a young family in the aftermath of tragedy. Told in alternating voices, The Salt House is a layered, emotional portrait of marriage, family, friendship, and the complex intersections of love, grief, and hope.

The Force by Don Winslow (June 20, William Morrow) All Denny Malone wants is to be a good cop.He is “the King of Manhattan North,” a highly decorated NYPD detective sergeant and the real leader of “Da Force.” What only a few know is that Denny Malone is dirty: he and his partners have stolen millions of dollars in drugs and cash in the wake of the biggest heroin bust in the city’s history. This is a haunting story of greed and violence, inequality and race, crime and injustice, retribution and redemption that reveals the seemingly insurmountable tensions between the police and the diverse citizens they serve

The Fourth Monkey by J.D. Barker (June 27, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realize he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive.

The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan Fallon (June 27, G.P. Putnam’s Sons) Both Cassie Hugo and Margaret Brickshaw dutifully followed their soldier husbands to the U.S. embassy in Jordan. When a fender-bender sends Margaret to the local police station, Cassie reluctantly agrees to watch Margaret’s toddler son. But as the hours pass, Cassie’s boredom and frustration turn to fear: Why isn’t Margaret answering her phone, and why is it taking so long to sort out a routine accident? Written with emotional insight and stunning prose, The Confusion of Languages is a shattering portrait of a collision between two women and two worlds, as well as a poignant glimpse into the private lives of American military families living overseas.

JULY

The Final Girls by Riley Sager (July 11, Dutton) Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Stephen King calls The Final Girls the first great thriller of 2017!

The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson (July 11, William Morrow) With empathy, grace, humor, and piercing insight, the author of Gods in Alabama pens a powerful, emotionally resonant novel of the South that confronts the truth about privilege, family, and the distinctions between perception and reality—the stories we tell ourselves about our origins and who we really are.

Fitness Junkie by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza (July 11, Doubleday) From the bestselling authors of The Knockoff, an outrageously funny novel about one woman’s attempt–through clay diets, naked yoga, green juice, and cultish workout classes–to win back her career, save her best friend, and lose thirty pounds. A hilarious send-up of the health and wellness industry, Fitness Junkie is a glorious romp through the absurd landscape of our weight-obsessed culture.

Let the Dead Speak by Jane Casey (July 25, Minotaur Books) When eighteen-year-old Chloe Emery returns to her West London home she finds her mother missing, the house covered in blood. Everything points to murder, except for one thing: there’s no sign of the body. As a body fails to materialize, Maeve must piece together a patchwork of testimonies and accusations. Who is lying, and who is not? With Let the Dead Speak, Jane Casey returns with another taut, richly drawn novel that will grip readers from the opening pages to the stunning conclusion.

Yesterday by Felicia Yap (August 1, Mulholland Books) How do you solve a murder when you only remember yesterday? Imagine a world in which classes are divided not by wealth or religion but by how much each group can remember. Told from four different perspectives, that of Mark, Claire, the detective on the case, and the victim—Felicia Yap’s staggeringly inventive debut leads us on a race against an ever-resetting clock to find the killer. With the science-fiction world-building of Philip K. Dick and the twisted ingenuity of Memento , Yesterday is a thriller you’ll never forget.

Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin (August 22, Algonquin Books) From the bestselling author of the beloved The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry comes another perfect fable for our times–a story about women, choices, and recovering from past mistakes.Young Jane Young’s heroine is Aviva Grossman, an ambitious Congressional intern in Florida who makes the life-changing mistake of having an affair with her boss‑‑who is beloved, admired, successful, and very married‑‑and blogging about it.

All the Wicked Girls by Chris Whitaker (August 24, Bonnier Zaffre) Everyone loves Summer Ryan. A model student and musical prodigy, she’s a ray of light in the struggling small town of Grace, Alabama – especially compared to her troubled sister, Raine.Then Summer goes missing. Grace is already simmering, and with this new tragedy the police have their hands full keeping the peace. Only Raine throws herself into the search, supported by a most unlikely ally. But perhaps there was always more to Summer than met the eye . . .

My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent (August 29, Riverbed Books) A brilliant and immersive, all-consuming read about one fourteen-year-old girl’s heart-stopping fight for her own soul. Turtle Alveston is a survivor. At fourteen, she roams the woods along the northern California coast. But while her physical world is expansive, her personal one is small and treacherous. Shot through with striking language in a fierce natural setting, My Absolute Darling is an urgently told, profoundly moving read that marks the debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Great choices! You’re going to love Final Girls ;-). I love the sound of Let The Dead Speak and All The Wicked Girls, because I know they are written by two wonderful authors.. I look forward to your reviews this summer!

I only have 4th Monkey from this list but I love the sound of all these books especially Final Girls and All the Wicked Girls. Actually, all do sound great so I hope that you will enjoy all of them. Happy reading 🙂

My TBR does not appreciate posts like this Renee haha but I’m super looking forward to The Fourth Monkey (although I don’t like the title). I really want to read Let The Dead Speak but I’m going back to start at book one, obviously 😁

I’m looking forward to reading Persons Unknown by Susie Steiner, I really enjoyed Missing Presumed (book one) so I’m hoping book 2 is just as good if not better.

The only one from that list I currently have on my TBR is All The Wicked Girls. But I may add The Salt House. And maybe The Fourth Monkey. And like Janel, I am interested in Let The Dead Speak but I need to read the other ones first. 😄

The only one I’ve read is Let the Dead Speak, and it’s great of course! Of your others, The Final Girls stands out from the blurb, but I look forward to hearing about them all as you get to them. Have a great summer of reading! 😀

Thanks! I think I’m adding books every day, lol, but that is the joy of being a book lover, right? I’ve not read anything by Chris Whitaker, but I did read the blurb for Tall Oaks when I added Wicked Girls to my Goodreads list, and it sounded good too! I’m really enjoying finding new, wonderful authors! The Salt House does sound amazing! 🙂

Salt Houses looks really good and so does Young Jane Young. Yesterday is on my TBR list even though it wasn’t in my most anticipated books. I’ll definitely read it. You’re so right that this summer’s crop is amazing!